From left to right are Commander Silverstrike, Commander Dragonthorne, and Commander Heavenstorm, courtesy of the PortraitWorks app (beta version)
When I first started gaming, my DM took care of a lot of things in his head, but he did require a way to keep details straight later. He didn't work on the game in front of me because he didn't want to lose the element of surprise. That was good for the game overall, but it left me with very little idea of how a game could be run. From my limited point of view, it was like watching television or being at the theater: the cast was already fleshed out, the backdrop was in place, and nothing backstage was visible. I didn't know how my DM created or kept track of so many different NPCs, let alone their personalities, details, and relationships. For a while I really didn't care; I was only interested in playing and had no desire to run. One day, though, he showed me some of his methods and they left such an impression on me that I followed his basic example for a decade.
For a short-term game with few NPCs, keeping track of the cast isn't that much of a problem. I didn't intend for my first campaign to be a short one so I started keeping detailed NPC notes pretty early on. I started out with a couple dozen well-defined NPCs and the list of NPCs grew steadily. At that time, there were five player characters in my game; in each town, they met anywhere from 2 to 5 people, sometimes more. I needed not only to keep track of mechanical details like race and class, but also details of personality and sometimes plot. I also needed to know who the group had met and where, if the NPCs were still residing in the same area, and if NPCs had died. The longer our game became, the longer and more important my notes. Not only did I make a spreadsheet for myself, but I also made one for the players. I took out any information their characters didn't know and printed it out for their reference.
I started out creating spreadsheets on Excel and eventually moved to Google Sheets. My NPC spreadsheet recorded the basics: gender, name, and type (including, race, class, and sometimes level). My sheet also had a catch-all description field. I might record bits of physical description if it's important and if I thought I was likely to forget. I might record an age or age-range, relations to other people, or profession. I sometimes recoredd personality traits and deeds. I tried to keep my notes short and restricted to key details. I also tried to use words or phrases that jogged my memory. Some NPCs were quite easy to remember, like Jhaldrym of Calimport. Other NPCs required more detailed notes. This setup served me pretty well through different games, though I eventually moved away from spreadsheets for in-game reference.
The NPC list below is just the first hundred of the NPCs my player characters met during the course of our main campaign. The full list stands at 525 characters. This is a good sample of the document, showing living and dead NPCs. It shows characters that I took and used from different gaming supplements, like Skelli Wildfoot of Beorunna's Well. She wasn't my original creation but I used her basic information from the Silver Marches book. The list also shows characters that I portrayed from Terry Pratchett's Discworld, since my PCs took a short trip to that universe.
* The asterisk means that the character has moved on from the area where the PCs met them, and the PCs have reasonable knowledge about the move
[unknown] This entry means that we could not recall where the NPCs were met
Entries in italics indicate that the NPC is known to be dead
Sex |
Name |
Race/Class |
Description |
Area Met |
---|---|---|---|---|
M |
Caton Terrymont |
Human |
Member of WARG |
[unknown] |
F |
Lisretha Terrymont |
Human |
Member of Weapons & Armor Recycling Guild |
[unknown] |
M |
Corporal Nobby Nobbs |
Human City Watchman |
The rogue arm of the law |
Ankh-Morpork |
M |
C.M.O.T. Dibbler |
Human Entrepreneur |
Serving the finest sausages in Ankh-Morpork |
Ankh-Morpork |
M |
Gaspode |
Talking Wonder Dog |
A mangy but lovable companion |
Ankh-Morpork |
M |
Mustrum Ridcully |
Human Wizard |
Archchancellor of the Unseen University |
Ankh-Morpork |
M |
Ponder Stibbons |
Human Wizard |
Helped the group to locate the source of the poison taken from the Discworld by using Hex |
Ankh-Morpork |
M |
Sergeant Fred Colon |
Human City Watchman |
A helping hand of the City Watch |
Ankh-Morpork |
M |
The Librarian |
Orangutan Librarian |
Librarian of the Unseen University |
Ankh-Morpork |
F |
Norcia |
Human Kundala |
Sharp-witted sailor and wanderer; former follower of Aseir |
Baldur's Gate* |
F |
Skelli Wildfoot |
Human Ranger |
Scout, guide of Black Lion tribe |
Beorunna's Well |
M |
Hetar |
Human |
Child molester, escaped prisoner |
Calim Desert |
M |
Ssrith |
Asabi |
Mercenary leader |
Calim Desert |
F |
Amra |
Human |
Merchant |
Calimport |
F |
Charva |
Halfling |
Second wife of Jhaldrym, mother of her children and those of the other wives |
Calimport |
M |
Daelomiel |
? |
Shadowmaster of Calimport |
Calimport |
M |
Dasan |
Human |
Merchant |
Calimport |
M |
Emishar |
Human Wizard |
In the service of the Suleiman |
Calimport |
F |
Enmeshe |
? |
3 yr. old child of Suleiman [en-meh-shay] |
Calimport |
F |
Ettana |
Halfling Ranger |
Desert ranger |
Calimport |
F |
Galina |
Human |
Slave of Emishar |
Calimport |
M |
Harith |
Human |
Shela's son, Aseir's cousin |
Calimport |
F |
Jael |
Half-Elf |
Priestess of Azuth |
Calimport |
M |
Jhaldrym |
Halfling Rogue |
Member of Il Carbai (The Flyers) |
Calimport |
M |
Nari |
Human |
Zemser's son, Aseir's cousin |
Calimport |
F |
Nenya |
Human |
Shela's daughter, Aseir's cousin |
Calimport |
F |
Neshket |
Human |
Second wife of the Suleiman |
Calimport |
F |
Phaeress |
Halfling Flier |
First wife of Jhaldrym, co-owner of Il-Carbai |
Calimport |
M |
Risaan |
Genasi |
16 yr. old child of Suleiman |
Calimport |
F |
Sadira |
Human |
Third wife of the Suleiman |
Calimport |
F |
Shela |
Human |
Aseir's aunt, Senedana's sister |
Calimport |
F |
Silmiela |
Tiefling |
10 yr. old child of Suleiman |
Calimport |
M |
Suleiman |
? |
Sheik of Calimport |
Calimport |
F |
Talelia |
Human |
Shela's daughter, Aseir's cousin |
Calimport |
F |
Talia |
Aasimar |
Latest wife of the Suleiman |
Calimport |
M |
Tephen |
Human |
Weapons and armor dealer |
Calimport |
F |
Ysona |
Fire Genasi Elf Courtesan |
Courtesan Headmistress of Calimport |
Calimport |
F |
Zaira |
Halfling Druid |
Third wife of Jhaldrym, befriended by two large monstrous scorpions |
Calimport |
F |
Zaltana |
Aasimar |
Daughter of the Suleiman and Talia, named for the Suleiman's dead mother |
Calimport |
M |
Zemser |
Human |
Aseir's uncle, perfume and soap business |
Calimport |
F |
Velia |
Human Monk |
Dark daughter of Senedana and Daelomiel |
Calimport* |
M |
Agan |
Dwarf |
Thorik's brother, metalworker |
Citadel Adbar |
F |
Beljura |
Dwarf |
Thorik's mother |
Citadel Adbar |
F |
Emra |
Dwarf |
Agan's wife |
Citadel Adbar |
M |
Halian |
Dwarf |
Captain of Citadel Adbar |
Citadel Adbar |
M |
Yiram |
Dwarf |
Lock and model maker |
Citadel Adbar |
M |
Denin Galia |
Human |
Thandell soldier and messenger; now working for Lance's flyer's guild |
Citadel Adbar* |
F |
Altani |
Human Druid |
Red Tiger tribe; has sworn vengenace on the lycanthropes that have tainted her people |
Citadel Feldbarr |
F |
Carrandra |
Gnome Wizard |
Has learned the secrets of gem magic |
Citadel Feldbarr |
M |
Durnen Stonehallow |
Dwarf Paladin of Moradin |
Royal advisor in the Citadel |
Citadel Feldbarr |
M |
Jander Starblade |
Half-Elf Paladin of Lathander |
Captain of the Argent Legion garrison in Citadel Feldbarr |
Citadel Feldbarr |
F |
Mara Fleetwind |
Human Barbardian/Bard |
Skald for major tribe of Red Tiger barbarians; sent for help for lycanthrope problem |
Citadel Feldbarr |
M |
Ainsley |
Human |
Judge |
Darmshall |
M |
Ithan |
Dwarven Cleric |
Head cleric of Moradin in Darmshall |
Darmshall |
F |
Marjora "Crazy Marge" |
Human |
Widow Ainsley's daughter, released prisoner |
Darmshall |
M |
Thidus |
Dwarf |
Old master builder of Darmshall |
Darmshall |
F |
Widow Ainsley |
Human |
Councilmember of Darmshall |
Darmshall |
M |
Bevan |
Dwarf Expert |
Innkeeper, Thorik's cousin; follows Thorik |
Darmshall* |
F |
Eliora |
Dwarf Expert |
Daughter of Bevan, wife & follower of Thorik |
Darmshall* |
M |
Oren |
Human Wizard |
Former mage of Darmshall, now Thentia |
Darmshall* |
F |
Cyllene Morlwick |
Human Wizard |
Eager to spread magic in the world |
Everlund |
M |
Dalston Morlwick |
Human Wizard |
Eager to spread magic in the world |
Everlund |
M |
Edric Karmandon |
Human Fighter |
Working in family's mining business |
Everlund |
M |
Falun Karmandon |
Human Fighter |
Working in family's mining business |
Everlund |
M |
Gethrad |
Human Fighter |
Legendary general, brother of Thalered |
Everlund |
F |
Laera |
Human |
Acting ruler of Everlund |
Everlund |
F |
Olora |
Human |
Merchant targetted by Aothur |
Everlund |
M |
Thalered |
Human |
King of Everlund |
Everlund |
M |
Aron |
Human |
Laera's brother, heir to Everlund's throne |
Everlund* |
F |
Margat |
Human Cook |
Cook on the Felidae |
Felidae |
M |
Arny |
Gnome Expert |
Freed slave |
Felidae* |
F |
Chandara |
Half Drow Fighter |
Raised by drow, freed slave |
Felidae* |
F |
Dacia |
Human Warrior |
Caravanner |
Felidae* |
F |
Evaine |
Half-Drow Wizard |
Rescued slave taken to Silverymoon, given spells by Ulvenar; hooked up with Eilistraee |
Felidae* |
F |
Klerene |
Human |
Former pirate |
Felidae* |
F |
Nasya |
Half Orc Fighter |
From the North; was a sailor; works for Lance |
Felidae* |
F |
Phena |
Gnome Cleric of Shiallia |
|
Felidae* |
F |
Sarelle |
Half Drow Bard |
Not evil, freed slave |
Felidae* |
F |
Zelva |
Human |
Former pirate |
Felidae* |
M |
Chaulssin Anuvien |
Human Cleric of Chauntea |
Down to earth cleric |
Goldenfields |
F |
Pylia Lebarsini |
Human Sorcerer |
Formerly Anuvien; married to Jander Lebarsini |
Goldenfields |
F |
Tealin Anuvien |
Human Druid |
Free spirited; candidate for marriage with Thandell or Everlund royals |
Goldenfields |
M |
Tolgar Anuvien |
Human |
Head of the family |
Goldenfields |
M |
Nolon Anuvien |
Human Monk |
Staying in Thandell against his family's wishes as lover of Leaping Moon |
Goldenfields* |
F |
Old Night |
Human |
Old, wise leader of Herald's Holdfast |
Herald's Holdfast |
M |
Xarim |
Human |
Related to Drizzt Do'Urden; can pass for human; taken to Mithral Hall; around 18 y.o. |
Herald's Holdfast* |
M |
Dhulark |
Wood Elf Ranger |
From Reitheillaethor |
High Forest |
F |
Nee'ta |
Human Barbarian |
Uthgardt Tree Ghost; shift leader of guards of the Grandfather Tree |
High Forest |
F |
Para |
Pixie |
Rather level-headed for a fey |
High Forest |
M |
Tathlyn |
Drow Druid |
Representative of Vhaeraun's drow in the High Forest |
High Forest |
F |
Ananda |
Drow Courtesan/Ranger |
Sister of Triel, anti-Lolth drow reformer |
High Forest* |
M |
Balquis |
Grig |
The grig with the fiddle; pie-loving fey |
High Forest* |
M |
Belim |
Grig |
Pie-loving fey who helped Aseir & Lance |
High Forest* |
M |
Qunix |
Grig |
Pie-loving fey who helped Aseir & Lance |
High Forest* |
M |
Slingsby |
Grig |
Pie-loving fey who helped Aseir & Lance |
High Forest* |
M |
Zywick |
Grig |
Pie-loving fey who helped Aseir & Lance |
High Forest* |
F |
Fathusa Oathtrue |
Dwarven Cleric Berronar Truesilver |
Kept dwarves safe during Karazhuf portal incident |
Karazhuf |
? |
Kavalas |
Lantern Archon |
Friendly, responds often to Thorik's summons |
Karazhuf |
F |
Cendra |
Human Commoner |
Naila's mother |
Loudwater |
F |
Naila |
Child |
Related to Drizzt Do'Urden; can pass for human; taken to Mithral Hall; about 12 y.o. |
Loudwater* |
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